Looking to buy Dillon press

[chezuki]

You could do lots of stuff in a separate step, but then what's the point of having a progressive?

 

[AceDerringer]

I have the 550 strongmount and roller, love it.... I run multiple calibers through it; its a lot easier to change over than the 650, others in the family run the 650....i am set up for 38, 9mm, 40sw, 556, 45/70, 44 mag
I bought it in 1994 and until 2 years ago i hadnt broken a part....i finally broke one of the decap pins and wore out the plastic ends on the small primer tubes... she runs like a top, well over 150k rounds through it. I will not use anything but dillon, i am all dillon...ha ha ha

 

[billybob44]

Mine is an "Oldy Goldy"

You could do lots of stuff in a separate step, but then what's the point of having a progressive?

You're right chez to a point. I DO have the time.
Also my Dillon 550 is 25 years+ old, probably 100K rounds, and still looks+operates like new. Mine is old enough to NOT have the grease fittings or Fail-Safe rod on the powder measure. That would not be the case if I let it operate dirty...Bill.

 

[IndyGlockMan]

The roller handle is more for cranking out rounds then, good to know. The strongmount is going to put the press up higher quite on the bench and is designed for standing rather than sitting is also something else to consider.

The 550B is what what is I was thinking about.

McDonald's Guns in Marion is also a Dillon Dealer and he's a great guy to deal with.
He usually has 550's in stock.

 

[17 squirrel]

Mine is old enough to NOT have the grease fittings or Fail-Safe rod on the powder measure. That would not be the case if I let it operate dirty...Bill.

What is this magical grease fittings or this Fail-safe rod you speak of ??
I also do not have these modern additions.

NOW LOOK INTO MY AVATAR AND REPEAT AFTER MEEEEE,
I WILL BUY A DILLON 550, I WILL BUY A DILLON 550.......

 

[17 squirrel]

McDonald's Guns in Marion is also a Dillon Dealer and he's a great guy to deal with.
He usually has 550's in stock.

I did not know that, thanks

 

[Fullmag]

McDonald's Guns in Marion is also a Dillon Dealer and he's a great guy to deal with.
He usually has 550's in stock.

Did not know that either. Heard about that shop but don't get up to Marion very often.

 

[Six Shooter Steve]

I have a 650 and my uncle just bought a 550 off Jeff at McDonald's yesterday. Jeff is a good guy to deal with and carries quite a bit of Dillon accessories.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

My only pet peve with the 550, is the spent primer chute.
^^^

If you decap before you tumble clean, then this problem goes away--YES--an extra step, but then you have NO primer "Crunchies" in your 550. My RockChucher is more forgiving of the primer trash than my 550 is....Works for me...Bill.

I fixed the problem quickly. I could decap on my single stage, but it defeats the purpose of a progressive press in my opinion

 

[ilcaveman]

I have a 450 and a 550. I use the strong mount and roller handle on both, I stand when reloading. I have all the bells and whistles you could have, I like the low primer alarm, it warns me when primers are low.

 

[DRob]

I use a 550B on a strong mount mounted on a very strong table reinforced by an extra leg directly under the press. I decap/size on a single stage press because I tumble my rifle brass to remove excess case lube before I load it. I also prefer priming the cases by hand. The extra steps don't bother me at all. I load three rifle calibers (same shellplate for all three) and 9mm. I can turn out 100 rds in about 12-15 minutes. I do use a Dillon low powder warning device. Get in a rhythm and run a dozen or so pieces with a dispenser which is out of powder and you will learn it's value. Of course there's always that paying attention thing.

Thought about the roller handle but I've survived without it for many thousands of rounds.

 

[rvb]

My only pet peve with the 550, is the spent primer chute. I riged mine easily though.

drill the pivot holes slightly larger on the chute. replace flimsy factory pin w/ a real cotter pin maybe 1/2-2/3 the diameter of the pivot holes. get the unique tech primer catch kit which gets the funnel up closer to the chute.

spent primers get spit out about 1/10 as often as they did, and it's usually out the side when the ram is full up during the downstroke.

something that somewhat helps with the factory funnel is a piece of tape over the part that hooks onto the press. this flat spot cause primers to bounce out, so use a piece of tape to make a "ramp" over that.

-rvb

 

[craigkim]

Not absolutely essential, but if I could go back, I would not buy the Dillon seating or crimp dies. I had more difficulty than I cared to deal with in adjusting my OAL and my crimp using the Dillon die's locking ring. I switched over to the Redding dies that have the micrometer on top and OAL/crimp adjustments are amazingly predictable and smooth. Not an issue if you were only loading one caliber and one bullet, I mean then you would just get it set and leave it, but I have been loading several bullets across 9 and 45.

 

[Fullmag]

Don't just the bullet seater have the micrometer adjuster? What makes Redding dies easier to adjust the crimp? Myself have been using RCBS dies and the cases seem to need to be trimmed to the same length or it will make bulges on the case with the seat/crimp die.

 

[trophyhunter]

I love Dillon dies, got rid of most everything I had and replaced them all with Dillon. I had to go search out a post on another forum from a Dillon rep regarding the adjustment of the crimp die and found it, this is a copy and paste since I began using this technique it's worked flawlessly:

"When I adjust a taper crimp die, no matter the caliber, the procedure is the same: Put a sized, unflared, empty case into the last position. Pull the handle down. Let go of the handle. With my fingers only, screw the die down until I feel it contact the case mouth. Lift the handle up slightly, hold it there while I screw the die down an additional 1/4 turn. Push the handle down, running the case back up into the die. With the case up in the die, tighten the die lock ring.The Dillon seat die does not remove the flare completely. However, it will remove any excess flare :ie, if the case is excessively flared that it contacts the interior of the die body, it will be reduced."

 

[craigkim]

Don't just the bullet seater have the micrometer adjuster? What makes Redding dies easier to adjust the crimp? Myself have been using RCBS dies and the cases seem to need to be trimmed to the same length or it will make bulges on the case with the seat/crimp die.

No, they make a micrometer crimp die as well. If your cases are uniform, one setting is easy, but if you want the same load and want to use 250 starline and 250 rem cases... They need different crimps, because they are different thicknesses. Easy as can be with the redding micrometer dies. I can dial my crimps to where my calipers will consistently .4695 eg for 45.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

drill the pivot holes slightly larger on the chute. replace flimsy factory pin w/ a real cotter pin maybe 1/2-2/3 the diameter of the pivot holes. get the unique tech primer catch kit which gets the funnel up closer to the chute.

spent primers get spit out about 1/10 as often as they did, and it's usually out the side when the ram is full up during the downstroke.

something that somewhat helps with the factory funnel is a piece of tape over the part that hooks onto the press. this flat spot cause primers to bounce out, so use a piece of tape to make a "ramp" over that.

-rvb

I just straitened the pin, and ran it back through. The chut stays closed until I lower the ram after de-capping, then it opens.

 

[rvb]

I just straitened the pin...

I quickly got tired of doing that. about the third time I replaced it with something more stout. now if a primer or anvil jams up the chute, I can feel it and stop before things get bent.

-rvb

 

[mongo404]

Buy once Cry once!!!!

Buy a 650 and get all the options.

If your going to get a bullet feeder you wont need the powder alarm. You can see in each case so in my opinion its not necessary.

 

[Fullmag]

It's official. Feeling Blue up in the house. Acquired a XL650 today, pics to follow asap.